Representatives from Wells Fargo honored recent Durham Tech graduate Idrissa Diallo at a joint meeting of the Durham Technical Community College Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Directors on Thursday.
Last year, Wells Fargo awarded a grant of $100,000 to Durham Tech for co-op and intern scholarships used by students enrolled in the college’s Career and Technical Education programs. The program was introduced in Spring Semester 2014 with 18 students participating, 15 of whom graduated last month, including Diallo.
A computer programming student, Diallo interned at the NCCU Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, and he has now accepted a full-time position there. Wells Fargo representatives presented Diallo with his stipend check for $1,000 at the board meeting.
Wells Fargo recently announced it is providing additional funding to the Durham Tech program, so that as many as 80 students can benefit from work-study and co-op learning opportunities over the course of the next two semesters. Research has shown that students who enter the workforce already possessing relevant skills are able to transition more smoothly from academic to career pathways, while also becoming more employable in a broader range of career opportunities.